The first thing Murphy noticed was he was lying on his left side.
The second thing he noticed was he was breathing through his mouth instead of his nose.
The third thing he noticed was his head hurt.
Finally, he noticed he was having trouble opening his right eye.
Slowly, he opened his left eye as his vision flickered in and out of focus then cleared and Murphy blinked his eye a few times. He noticed he was in his bedroom and Connor was sitting up against the side of the bed. His head was down and Murphy could just hear him praying.
"Connor," Murphy whispered.
"You're awake!" Connor said as his eyes opened. Placing the rosary around his neck, Connor got onto his knees as he reached out to take hold of Murphy's right hand and they wrapped their fingers together. Murphy felt the guilt and concern coming from his twin. His brain replayed what happened when he squeezed Connor's fingers and Murphy frowned.
"When did we get home?" Murphy asked.
"It was shortly after I hit you. Lisa wanted t'take you t'the hospital, but I told her that would be a bad idea."
"Because we'd have t'put my name in th'system an' that would alert Smecker t'where we are."
"Aye."
Murphy didn't feel like smiling after Connor gave him a sad smile and Connor sighed.
"Is that Denny asshole still breathin'?" Murphy asked.
"Aye."
"Did he say if he was gonna apologize t'Annie?"
"He said he was gonna do that."
"You believe him?"
"Nope."
Murphy wanted to yawn, but the pain moving through his nose and head stopped him and Connor saw the sleepy look on his face.
"Go back to sleep," Connor said.
Murphy barely nodded his head. He closed his left eye while Connor blinked the tears out of his eyes and Murphy made a soft humming sound.
"Stop bein' an eejit," Murphy grumbled.
"Can't help it," Connor said.
"I was th'one who's an eejit. Shouldn't've distracted you. Jus' wanted t'warn you about Lou."
"Still sorry."
"Then can we forgive each other so I can go t'sleep?"
"Sure."
Connor watched Murphy's face soften as Murphy drifted back to sleep and Connor held onto Murphy's right hand with both hands. Closing his eyes, Connor started praying again and he placed the knuckles of Murphy's hand against his forehead.
Later that day, Annie walked down the hallway as she carried a tray in her hands and she stopped in front of the door to Murphy's bedroom. The door was open as she looked at Murphy sleeping on his left side and Ebony was sleeping on top of Murphy's right hip. She softly walked to the bed when she looked down and she noticed the bruising around his right eye and nose.
"Go 'way," Murphy grumbled and she could just see his left eye opening.
"What am I gonna do with you?" she asked and he shrugged his right shoulder.
"Is Lisa mad at me?"
"No. She's not mad at you."
"Is she mad at Connor?"
"Nope."
"Did that eejit come over an' say he's sorry?"
"No. An' I don't expect him to."
"Mister Murphy," made Annie turn to see Nichole standing in the doorway and she was holding the teddy bear in her arms.
"Is it ok if she come in?" Annie asked and Murphy barely nodded his head. Annie waved for Nichole to come closer as Nichole headed for the bed and Murphy saw the sadness in her eyes.
"Hi," Murphy said.
"Hi," Nichole said in a soft voice.
"Did yer mommy tell you what happened t'me?"
"She said Mister Connor hit you."
"He didn't mean to."
"Did he say he was sorry?"
"Aye."
She moved a little closer as she looked at him and held the teddy bear tighter in her arms. He noticed the shocked look on her face after she saw the bruises and he pressed his lips into a thin line.
"Do I look that bad?" he asked.
"Yeah," she said with a nod.
"Do you want to help me feed him some lunch?" Annie asked and Nichole looked up at her.
"Are you hungry?" Nichole asked, looking at Murphy.
"I could eat summat," Murphy grumbled and the cat hopped off his right hip after feeling him move on the bed. With a small grunt, he sat up as he moved the pillows behind his back and pain pounded lightly inside his head.
Annie placed the tray on his lap while Nichole carefully climbed onto the bed, moved over his legs and went to sit next to his right side. He looked at the glass of milk, a plate with a sliced roast beef sandwich with a slice of cheddar cheese, a leaf of lettuce, a slice of tomato and steak sauce on top, some homemade macaroni salad in a small bowl, a fork and a napkin and he picked up the fork. He handed the fork to Nichole as she scooped some of the macaroni salad onto the fork and he opened his mouth.
After feeding Murphy his lunch, Annie picked up the tray so he could rest on his back and she placed the tray on the floor. Nichole handed him the teddy bear as he sat the teddy bear on his stomach and Annie went into the bathroom. He listened to the water running then stop and Annie walked out of the bathroom with a damp washcloth and a small towel.
"Hold still," Annie said after she sat on the edge of the bed and she lightly moved the washcloth over his nose and his left eye. Murphy flinched, but didn't cry out and she gently patted his face dry.
"Lisa said you're not to do anything for a few days, but rest," Annie said after she got up and went back in the bathroom.
"I'm fine," Murphy grumbled.
"Can you open yer right eye?" she said as she walked back into the room and went to sit on the edge of the bed.
"No."
"Which means you can't see what you're doin'."
"I guess."
"An' you're not really in th'mood, right?"
"Not really."
"You can watch cartoons with me after I get home from school," Nichole said and he barely nodded his head.
"Jus' don't wanna be a problem," Murphy grumbled.
"You're not a problem." Annie said as she patted his left shoulder. He looked upset as he closed his left eye and he sighed. She moved the teddy bear out of the way then moved the bedding up and Nichole tucked the teddy bear under the bedding after placing the teddy bear on his chest. Annie lifted her off the bed as they headed for the door and they left the room. Murphy made a small hum when he rolled onto his left side and he held the teddy bear against his chest.
Downstairs, Annie walked in the living room when she saw Connor standing near the bar and he was holding a glass of whiskey in his left hand.
"Hey," she said and he looked at her.
"Hey," he said, taking a sip of the whiskey.
"Isn't it a little early for that."
"No."
Annie walked to her brother as he sipped on the whisky and she gently touched his left upper arm.
"I'm sorry," Annie said.
"What are you sorry about?" he asked, placing the glass on the bar.
"I'm sorry I got you involved in my shit. Denny's always been a jerk. Has been for as long as I have known him. And he's right. Diego's always been the one to put him in his place when he does mouth off to me."
"Only this time you wanted to do it."
"Right. What I forgot was how protective my big brothers are. Nether of you ever let some asshole pick on me or disrespect me."
"Damn right," he said with a small smile.
"Mind telling me what you were going to do if Denny hadn't agreed to apologize to me?"
"Not sure. Maybe I would've jus' dropped it. Some people are eejits."
"Yeah. They are."
"Still doesn't help me with my guilt."
"Did Murphy forgive you for sucker punching him?"
"Aye. He has."
"But you still want to make it up to him?"
Connor nodded his head.
"Then follow me."
Confused, Connor followed her out of the room and they headed down the hallway toward the kitchen.
A few hours later
Being lightly shaken woke Murphy as he slowly opened his left eye and he saw Darcy kneeling next to the bed. She did have a concerned look on her face and he felt a small pang of guilt move through him.
"Dinner's ready," she said in a soft voice.
"I just had lunch," he grumbled.
"That was a few hours ago."
"Hmph."
Smiling, she stood as he looked down at the teddy bear then he looked at Darcy.
"Nichole gave this t'me," Murphy said, holding up the teddy bear.
"She thought you needed it," Darcy said, taking the teddy bear.
He slowly sat up when he placed his hands on the mattress and he fought the urge to yawn.
"What's wrong?"
"Jus' tryin' not t'yawn. Don't want my nose t'start bleedin'," he said.
He pushed off the mattress when he headed for the bathroom and Darcy walked to the doorway. He watched her leave then he went into the bathroom and he closed the door behind him. Turning on the light, Murphy headed for the toilet when he peed, wiped then flushed the toilet and he walked to the sink. He ran the water as he washed his hands, turned off the water, dried his hands on the towel, but he didn't want to look in the mirror.
"Fuck it," Murphy whispered.
He looked at his reflection. The bruising around his right eye didn't look as bad as he thought nor did the bruising around his nose. He lightly touched his nose and made a small hissing sound then he ran his tongue over his front teeth. None of his teeth felt loose and he placed his hands on the top of the sink.
"You've looked worse," he grumbled.
Turning, he headed out of the bathroom as he turned off the light and he headed for the chair where his bathrobe was hanging on the back. He placed on the bathrobe and his bunny slippers and he noticed he was wearing just his boxers. He tightened the bathrobe then tired the bathrobe shut and he walked to the door. He stood in the doorway while he tried to decide if he wanted to go downstairs when he felt something move by his right leg and he watched Ebony head down the hallway.
"Asshole," he whispered then he walked down the hallway. He stopped at the framed photographs as he looked at the photo of Darcy and a man with dark hair and blue eyes and they were smiling. Shrugging his shoulders, Murphy headed for the stairs when he went downstairs and he walked down the hallway toward the kitchen. Murphy walked into the kitchen as he looked at the others and he gave them a small wave.
"How're you feeling?" Diego asked.
"Still a little sleepy," Murphy said, walking to his chair and he sat down. He glanced over at Nichole as she lightly patted his right hand and he arched his eyebrows up. "Thank you fer lettin' me borrow Teddy."
"You're welcome," Nichole said.
Murphy sat back in the chair when he saw Connor and Annie placing food on the plates and Murphy tilted his head to one side.
"You two made dinner?" Murphy asked.
"Yep!" Connor said.
"What're we havin'?"
"You'll see," Annie said.
Connor and Annie headed for the table when they placed the plates of food in front of Diego, Lisa, Darcy, Murphy and the kids then they walked back to the kitchen island. They headed back to the table when they placed the glasses of milk and juice in front of the kids then the cups of tea in front of Diego, Lisa, Darcy and Murphy. Murphy could barely smell the light lemony scent coming from the teacup when he looked at the food on the plate and he blinked his left eye.
"This looks like what Ma or you would make me when I'm sick, hungover or in a bad mood," Murphy said.
"Thought you'd like it," Annie said while she and Connor sat down on the chairs.
"Mind if I say grace?"
"Go ahead," Connor said.
Murphy took hold of Nichole's left hand and Connor's right hand when everyone closed their eyes and Murphy said grace. He lightly nudged Connor's right knee with his left knee as Connor smiled and Murphy finished. They opened their eyes as they started eating and the guilt Connor was feeling faded.
Later, Murphy walked out of the bathroom when he removed the bathrobe and placed the bathrobe on the back of the chair. He headed for the bed when he sat down on the edge of the bed and Ebony crawled onto his lap. The cat curled into a ball and Murphy lightly scratched the cat's ears.
"Hey," Lisa said as he looked over at the doorway and she walked in the room. She went to sit next to him and Murphy turned slightly so he could see her. "Sorry."
"What are you sorry about?" he asked.
"I should've taken both of you home. You were too drunk to deal with Denny."
"Never stopped us before."
"Did Connor tell you that I wanted to take you to a hospital?"
"Aye. Wouldn't have minded, but…"
"He told me that would have alerted that Smecker guy to where you are," she said and he nodded.
"He also said you want me t'rest. Don't wanna. Got things I gotta do."
"I get that. But I don't want to risk you hurting yourself more."
"Nichole said I could watch cartoons with her after school."
"Sounds like fun."
"Can I do that in my robe and slippers?"
"As long as you wear your boxers under your robe," she teased and she was glad that he barely smiled. "Ok. Bed."
"Aye," he said with a small nod. She placed the cat on the floor before she helped him up as she helped him get into bed and she moved the bedding up. He closed his left eye as the cat settled on the pillow next to his head and she walked to the door. She looked back at him when she turned the light off then she headed down the hallway.
A few days later
The screen door opened while Murphy walked outside and he arched back the black cowboy hat.
He put on the sunglasses when he headed down the stairs and he walked down the path.
"Hey!" made him stop as he turned around and Connor ran to him.
"What's up?" Murphy asked.
"Diego wants us to go check th'pigs."
"Why?"
"He said one of th'guys might have seen a coyote sniffin' 'round the pen."
Nodding, Murphy followed him as they walked to the red truck and they opened the doors. They got into the truck then closed the door and Connor started the engine. He put the truck in gear as the truck moved down the path and Connor arched the white straw cowboy hat back.
"You look better," he said, glancing at his twin.
"Feel better," Murphy said.
The truck tires bounced on some bumps in the path when they arrived at the pig pen and Connor parked the truck near the fence. They opened the doors as they got out of the truck then they closed the doors. The sunlight warmed their skin while Connor and Murphy walked to the fence and they slid their forearms over the top railing.
The piglets were playing in the mud as they made little squealing sounds and the large hog was sleeping on its stomach. The sow was nibbling on some corncobs as she made a low grunting sound and her tail swatted at the flies buzzing around her bottom.
"Seein' them like this makes me feel a little guilty," Connor said.
"You mean all those pigs we used t'cut up back at th'plant?" Murphy asked and Connor nodded. "Me, too."
They watched the piglets heading for the sow as she went onto her right side and the piglets started nursing. Suddenly, Connor remembered why they were there as he nudged Murphy and they went to check the fence line for any sign of coyote tracks. Diego had taught them what coyote tracks looked like, but they didn't see any tracks and Connor removed the walkie-talkie off his belt.
"Diego," Connor said after he pushed the button then let go of the button.
"Diego. Find anything?" Diego's voice asked.
"That is a big negative. No sign of coyotes."
"Good. Do the pigs need fed?"
"Hold on."
Murphy went to check the trough as he saw the pig slop was low and he nodded to Connor.
"Looks like they could use a snack," Connor said, releasing the button.
"Then…"
The sudden sound of a siren filled the air as the pigs started squealing and Connor and Murphy looked at each other.
"What th'hell's goin' on?!" Murphy said as he covered his ears.
"Dunno!" Connor said, covering his right ear then he pushed the button. "Diego! What's goin' on?!"
"Hank just reported in! Brutus is loose!" Diego's voice said.
"How th'hell did it get out!?"
"Hank said Brutus bolted after he, Jeff and Kenny opened the doors to clean out its stall!"
"Why wasn't th'damn thing put in th'paddock first?!"
"He said he thought it was!"
"What do you want us t'do?!"
"I need you to help us find it!"
"Right!"
Connor put the walkie-talkie back on his belt as they headed for the red truck and they got in the red truck. Closing the doors, Murphy watched Connor start the engine, put the red tuck in gear then the red truck moved down the path.
"How does Hank still have a job?" Murphy asked while the red trunk moved over the bumps on the path.
"I have no fuckin' idea," Connor said, shifting gears to make the red truck go faster.
"Got any idea where we should go look fer Brutus?"
"I think that answers yer question!"
Coming down the path at full speed was Brutus.
Connor quickly scanned the area when he steered the red truck down a side path and the bull ran by them.
"Shit!" Murphy gasped, feeling his heart slamming in his chest.
Connor put the red truck in reverse as the red truck headed back onto the main path then his eyes widened when he saw the bull in the rearview mirror.
Brutus grunted, snorted and clawed at the ground with its hoof as Connor tried to figure out what to do and he slammed his foot onto the gas pedal. The red truck lurched forward while he heled onto the steering wheel and the bull followed them.
"He's getting' closer!" Murphy shouted, looked into the sideview mirror.
"I see that!" Connor shouted, turning the steering wheel to make the red truck go down the side path and the bull followed them.
"Should we jump?!"
"Maybe! But that still means we have t'deal with Brutus!"
One of the paddock gates was open as Connor steered the red truck by the gates and the bull followed. Connor steered the red truck around the empty paddock as the bull got one good hit with its horns and the red truck lurched forward.
"Shit!" Murphy shouted.
"Hang on!" Connor said, turning the steering wheel. He made the red truck move to the left as the bull followed then Brutus headed for the fence. Connor slammed his foot down on the pedal as the red truck came to a stop and they watched the bull ram into the fence.
Backing up, Brutus ran at the fence when the bull rammed the fence and snorted. Brutus slammed into the fence a few more times until the fence shattered and the bull ran.
They got out of the red truck as they ran to the fence then they stopped as Brutus ran headlong into a large boulder. Staggering to one side, the bull shook its head, backed up then charged at the large boulder.
"Oh fuck," Connor said.
A loud cracking sound filled the air as Brutus staggered to one side then the other and the bull fell to the ground.
"I can't believe that just fuckin' happened!" Murphy said with a shocked look on his face.
Connor removed the walkie-talkie from his belt when he pushed the button, but he had to lightly grab hold of Murphy's right upper arm to stop him from going to check on the bull.
"Diego," Connor said then let go of the button.
"Diego. Did you find Brutus?" Diego's voice asked.
"Oh yeah!"
Connor told him what happened while Murphy went to check the damage to the red truck and Murphy puffed out a breath of air.
"Damn! Ok. We're on the way," Diego's voice said.
"Right," Connor said, placing the walkie-talkie on his belt. He walked over to Murphy when Connor saw the black puddle moving under the red truck and the large dent in the back bumper and the back hatch.
A short time later, the sounds of trucks made Connor and Murphy hop off the top railing of the fence and they watched the trucks and what looked like a large forklift heading into the paddock. The trucks and the forklift stopped near the red truck as the engines cut off and the doors opened.
Hank, Jeff, Kenny, Diego and some of the other ranch hands got out of the trucks and the large forklift as a white Ford truck headed into the paddock and the white Ford truck stopped Lisa got out of the white Ford truck when she closed the door and she walked to Diego. She looked at the damaged fence and she placed her hands on her hips.
"Did you call Doctor Clay?" Diego asked.
"Yeah. He's on his way," she said, walking to the fence. She looked at Brutus lying on the ground while Connor walked to her and she glanced at him. "How's the truck?"
"Th'back bumper an' th'back hatch are dented an' it's leaking oil," Connor said.
"Shit."
"What're you gonna do with….?" he asked, pointing at Brutus.
"After Doctor Clay examines the body? We're going to take it to the market."
"What about th'truck?"
"We're going to leave it until we can get someone from the garage to come get it."
Nodding, Connor watched her head for Diego as she talked to Diego and Hank and Hank got into the large forklift. Hank started the engine as he steered the forklift toward Brutus and they watched the forklift lift the body off the ground.
"What is she gonna do with it?" Murphy asked, nodding his head toward Brutus after he walked to Connor.
"She's gonna take it t'market," Connor said.
"You mean they're gonna make Brutus burgers outta him?"
"Looks like."
"What 'bout th'truck?"
"She says someone from th'garage will come get it."
They watched the forklift moving toward the long bed truck as Diego and the other ranch hands helped get Brutus onto the bed of the truck then they hopped down. Hank got in the long bed truck as he closed the door then he started the engine. The long bed truck headed out of the paddock while Diego and the ranch hands got into the other trucks and the forklift and they started the engines.
Lisa walked to Connor and Murphy while they looked at her and she crossed her arms under her breasts.
"Are you two alright?" she asked.
"We're good," Connor said and Murphy nodded.
"Why didn't you just make a run for it after you got him in here?"
"Didn't have time."
"An' we didn't know if he would come after us if we got outta th'truck," Murphy said.
She gave both of them an icy stare as they swallowed the lumps in their throats and she lightly shook her head.
"Let's go," she said.
They headed for the white Ford truck as Lisa and Connor got in the white Ford truck and Murphy climbed into the back. Lisa started the engine as she put the white Ford truck in gear and she steered the white Ford truck to the gate. The white Ford truck headed down the path while she saw the guilty look on Connor's face and she gave him a little smile.
"Was going to send him to market anyway," she said and he frowned.
"What?" he asked.
"Brutus. I was going to send him to market."
"When?"
"Tomorrow."
"You think they'll mind having slightly dented meat?"
She didn't answer for a few seconds when she broke out laughing and he smiled.
"Annie's right. You are funny," she said.
The white Ford truck headed down the path as the dust blew out from under the tires and Connor slid his right arm out of the window. He lightly tapped his fingers on the door as he watched the scenery going by and he sighed.